Mercator Ocean reaffirms its commitment to the UN Global Compact
By issuing its first Communication on Engagement meant for all its stakeholders, Mercator Ocean International (MOi) reaffirms its support to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and its Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anticorruption. The purpose of MOi is to build a lasting and relevant base of scientific knowledge and operational skills […]
Towards urgent global climate change action: Release of IPCC’s latest report “AR6 Climate Change 2021: the Physical Science Basis”
On 9 August 2021, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the Working Group 1 contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) – “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis”. One of the eight reports making up the IPCC AR6, the Working Group 1 (WG1) report addresses the most updated physical understanding of the climate […]
Sri Lanka faces environmental disaster following the X-Press Pearl Shipwreck
A cargo ship carrying chemicals and plastic pellets has been burning and beginning to sink off the coast of Sri Lanka starting on May 20th, 2021. The ship, the MV X-Press Pearl, was carrying 1,486 containers. Eighty-one of those were dangerous goods containers, including 25 tons of nitric acid that represents a potential huge environmental […]
Official visit of Ms Annick Girardin, Minister for the Sea
“The Ocean is a common good and it is the issue from which we must start”, President Macron told us at the end of 2019. A few months later, a Ministry of the Sea was set up in the French government. Ms Annick Girardin, former Member of Parliament for Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and Minister for Overseas Territories, […]
Towards a European Coastal Flood Awareness System
In January 2021, Mercator Ocean International joined forces with seven other European organisations to develop a proof-of-concept for a European Coastal Flood Awareness System (ECFAS). ECFAS will provide a much-needed solution to strengthen coastal resilience to climate risk and lessen the exposure of people and assets by monitoring and supporting coastal flood preparedness. By demonstrating […]
France’s maritime challenges
On 22 November 2020, the French General Secretariat for the Sea celebrated its 25th anniversary. To highlight France’s maritime challenges and mark the occasion, the Cahiers d’Administration published a special issue. In an interview with Pierre Bahurel, Mercator Océan’s CEO, he highlighted the actions of Mercator Océan International and the importance of the digital ocean […]
IOC-UNESCO Global Ocean Science Report 2020 & Contributions
In conjunction with its 60th anniversary in 2020, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO launched the Global Ocean Science Report 2020 (GOSR2020). IOC-UNESCO’s flagship report provides a thorough assessment of the status and trends in ocean science capacity around the world. Karina von Schuckmann, an oceanographer for Mercator Ocean international, has contributed to two […]
The Parliamentary Courier focuses on ocean issues for France and the European Union
On the occasion of a European Parliament event last January 2020, the Courrier du Parlement interviewed and explored different views from two French and European actors involved in the European Union on issues surrounding the ocean and its sustainable use: French MEP Catherine Chabaud and Pierre Bahurel, Director General of Mercator Ocean International (link to article here). […]
Tracking the Wakashio Oil Spill in the Indian Ocean
One of the worst oil spills in the Indian Ocean recently occurred when the Wakashio bulk carrier ran aground on July 25 on a reef in southeast Mauritius. The vessel broke in two on August 16 and the bow part was towed offshore to be sunk. The environmental effects have been devastating and responders have […]
Our Partner Sea Plastics : at Sea to Study Covid-19 Impacts on Microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea
Mercator Ocean international supports Sea Plastics for the 2nd year in a row. This NGO, created in AgroPariTech whose crew is composed by 4 students, aims to study plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to disruptions caused by COVID 19, they decided to postpone their expedition departure and to change their mission to analyse […]
Canadian Hydrographic Service Launches S-100 Services to standardise and numerise marine data
On the 22nd of June, the Canadian Hydrographic Service is launching the S-100 services for safe and optimized e-navigation. In the world of maritime navigation, it is revolutionary. This new international marine data format enhances the safety of navigation and unlocks the potential of marine geospatial data. In the near future, global ocean currents produced […]
WEkEO V1 Launch on June 17th, 2020: Includes New Big Data Computing & Viewing Tools
A new version of the WEkEO DIAS platform, V1, will be launched on the 17th of June 2020. WEkEO is a cloud platform with a comprehensive portfolio of original Copernicus service and Sentinel satellite data, with harmonized data access, cloud infrastructure, and expert user support. At the end of 2016, the European Commission (EC) launched […]